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The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

and  the 

Sounds  of  Latin  Letters 

by 
James  A.  CoUigan,  S.  J, 


August  15,  1919 


L^u^  Oy.  Jo^M^.^^  ^-/^ 


The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

and  the 

Sounds  of  Latin  Letters 

by 
James  A.  CoUigan,  S.  J. 


August  15,   1919 


COPYRIGHT    1919 
BY 
JAMES  A.  COLLIGAN,  S.  J. 


PREFACE. 

Book  I  gives  a  new  method  of  teaching  the 
accent  of  Latin  words. 

Book  II  contains  briefly  all  that  is  known 
about  the  sounds  of  Latin  letters. 

Book  II  contains  also  a  complete  explanation 
of  the  different  methods  of  dividing  Latin  words 
into  syllables. 

I  think  that  the  work  will  be  useful  to 
students  of  Latin  and  also  to  singers  of  Latin 
hymns. 

JAMES  A.  COLLI GAN,  S.  J. 

St.   Ignatius  University, 
San  Francisco,  California. 


416116 


CONTENTS. 


Accent  of  Latin  words,  book  1,  No.  I  to  XLIL. 

Sounds  of  Latin  vowels  and  diphthongs,  book 
2,  No.  1  to  59. 

Position  and  hidden  quantity,  book  2,  No.  49 
to  56, 

Sounds  of  Latin  consonants,  book  2,  No.   59 
to77v 

Division  of  Latin  words  into  syllables,  book 
2,  No.  77. 


Sounds  of  JfcatirfX^tte>s^\f  i /;,   *5 

RULE  I. 

A  word  of  two  syllables  is  accented  on  the 
first;  as,  Deus,  Christus,  noster. 

Words  of  More  than  Two  Syllables. 

RULE  IL 

When  the  last  vowel  has  a  vowel  before  it, 
the  word  is  accented  on  the  antepenult ;  as,  con- 
fiteor,  omnia,  omnium,  gloriam,  gloria,  gloriae, 
doceo,  docui,  petii. 

Ae  is  considered  one  vowel. 

The  syllable  before  the  last  is  called  the 
penultimate  syllable. 

The  second  syllable  before  the  last  is  tertned 
the   antepenultimate  syllable. 

exceptions: 

Genitives  and  datives  of  the  fifth  declension 
are  accented  on  the  penultimate ;  as,  spe-ci-e-i, 
a  word  of  four  syllables  is  accented  on  the  e 
before  the  final  i. 

Fi-de-i  is  accented  on  the  antepenultimate. 

In  the  compounds  of  the  verb  fio,  penultimate 
i  is  always  accented ;  as,  satisfiat. 

The  following  words  are  accented  on  the 
penultimate ;  Maria,  unius,  solius,  totius,  utrius, 
ullius,  nullius,  neutrius,  the  genitive  alius,  and 
proper  nouns  which  in  the  missal  and  the 
breviary  are  accented  on  the  penultimate. 

The  accent  of  Greek  words  must  be  learned 
from  a  lexicon.  They  are  accented  according 
to  the  explanation  given  in  RULE  XLL 


6   /c  :  iJihe^Ac^cent  pi  L^atin  Words 

RULE  III. 

When  the  last  vowel  in  a  word  has  h  before 
it,  the  word  is  accented  on  the  antepenult;  as, 
contraho,  conveho. 

RULE  IV. 

Words  ending  in  itas,  etas,  iter,  ibus  and 
rrimus  are  accented  on  the  antepenultimate;  as, 
charitas,  pietas,  feliciter,  omnibus  and  celeberri- 
mus. 

EXCEPTIONS: 

Nicetas  and  Philetas  are  accented  on  the 
penult. 

RULE  V. 

When  the  penultimate  vowel  is  followed  by 
qu,  the  word  is  accented  on  the  antepenultimate ; 
as,  aliquis,  alloqui. 

EXCEPTIONS: 

Ubique,  utrobique,  obliquo,  antiquus,  uniquus, 
obliquus  and  alioquin  are  accented  on  the  pe- 
nultimate. 

RULE  VI. 

Nouns  and  adjectives  ending  in  atilis,  abilis, 
ibilis  and  simus  are  accented  on  the  antepenult; 
as,  versatilis,  amabilis,  terribilis. 

EXCEPTION: 

Resimus  is  accented  on  the  penultimate. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  7 

RULE  VII. 

Words  ending  in  er  preceded  by  one  con- 
sonant are  accented  on  the  antepenult;  as,  ludi- 
cer,  integer,  arbiter,  coluber,  volucer,   alacer. 

EXCEPTIONS  : 

Cadaver,  papaver,  saluber,  Meleager  and  Tan- 
ager  are  accented  on  the  penultimate. 

NOTE :  For  writing  or  scanning  Latin  poetry, 
it  is  well  to  know  that  the  first  syllable  of  the 
following  ten  words  is  long  in  quantity — Afer, 
afer,  ater,  crater,  frater,  mater,  creber,  tuber, 
a  tumor  and  the  adjectives  acer  and  liber. 

RULE  VIIL 

Words  ending  in  ila,  ola,  ula,  alus,  ilus,  otus, 
ulus,  alum,  olum,  ulum  are  accented  on  the 
antepenultimate;  as,  aquila,  filiola,  epistola,  rati- 
uncula,  gladiolus,  fasciculus. 

EXCEPTIONS : 

The  following  are  accented  on  the  penulti- 
mate, cunila,  Dalila,  Loyola,  bibliopola  and 
other  words  ending  in  pola,  asilus,  crocodilus, 
primipilus,  strobilus,  cuculus,  Theodulus,  Aris- 
tobulus  and  some  other  proper  nouns. 

RULE   IX. 

Proper  nouns  ending  in  ades,  amus,  olis, 
crates,  otus,  phorus,  goras  are  accented  on  the 
antepenultimate;  as,  Pergamus,  Christophorus, 
Socrates,   Hermopolis,  aegrotus,   Pythagoras. 


The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 


EXCEPTIONS : 

Polynotus,  Azotus,  Agelades  are  accented  on 
the   penultimate. 

RULE  X. 

Desiderative  verbs  in  urio  and  verbs  in  io  of 
the  third  conjugation  and  most  verbs  which 
have  ui  in  the  perfect  are  accented  on  the  ante- 
penult in  the  second  and  third  person  singular 
indicative  active  and  in  the  second  person  singu- 
lar imperative  active ;  as,  esurio,  esuris,  esurit ; 

percipio,  percipis,  percipit,  percipe ; 

effugio,  effugis,  effugit,  effuge ; 

edoceo,   edoces,  edocet,  edoce ; 
admoneo,  admones,  admonet,  admone. 

exceptions: 

Compounds  of  pono,  debeo,  floreo,  pareo  and 
verbs  which  are  accented  according  to  Rule 
XVIII. 

RULE  XI. 

Infinitives  in  i  from  verbs  in  io  of  the  third 
conjugation  are  accented  on  the  antepenult;  as, 
eripi. 

RULE  XII. 

Words  ending  in  atus,  etus,  utus,  and  etum 
are  accented  on  the  penultimate;  as,  equitatus, 
facetus,    quercetum. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters 


EXCEPTIONS : 

Compounds  mentioned  in  number  36  and  im- 
petus, vegetus,  arbutus,  Aratus,  Calistratus, 
Pisistratus,  Philostratus,  Prenetum,  Paracletus, 
Taygetus  and  nouns  ending  in  aretus,  as  Pan- 
aretus,  are  accented  on  the  antepenultimate. 

RULE  XIII. 

Words  ending  in  osus,  osa,  ura,  ela,  alis,  elis, 
ulis  and  nouns  ending  in  do  and  go  are  accented 
on  the  penult;  as,  arenosus,  mensura,  querela, 
mortalis,  fidelis,  curulis,  dulcedo,  formido,  forti- 
tudo,   origo,   imago,   aerugo. 

EXCEPTIONS : 

Panirosus,  Macedo,  oxalis,  pardalis,  periscelis, 
Sicelis,  Castalis,  Hispalis,  Magdalis,  harpago,  Ab- 
denago,  Arpago,  Paphlago  are  accented  on  the 
antepenult. 

RULE  XIV. 

When  the  penultimate  vowel  is  u  followed  by 
n,  the  word  is  accented  on  the  penult ;  as,  tribunal. 

RULE  XV. 

Words  ending  in  brum,  crum,  trum  are  accented 
on  the  penultimate ;  as,  delubrum,  simulacrum,  ara- 
trum. 

RULE  XVI. 

Adverbs  in  tim,  foreign  proper  names  in  icus 
and  timus  are  accented  on  the  penultimate;  as, 
privatim,  Ludovicus  and  Theotimus. 


lo        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

EXCEPTIONS : 

Affatim  and  perpetim  are  accented  on  the  ante- 
penultimate. 

RULE  XVII. 

Penultimate  i  is  accented  when  it  is  followed  by 
v;  as  in  nominativus  and  revivo. 

RULE  XVIIL 
When  the  vowel  before  the  last  is  followed  by- 
two  consonants,  the  word  is  accented  on  the  pe- 
nultimate;   as,    audiantur,    convalescit,   incumbit. 

EXCEPTION  : 

When  the  vowel  before  the  last  is  followed  by 
bl,  cl,  fl,  pi,  br,  cr,  dr,  fr,  gr,  pr,  or  tr,  the  word 
must  be  found  in  a  dictionary,  and  it  must  be  ac- 
cented according  to  the  explanation  given  in 
RULE  XLL 

RULE  XIX. 
When  the  last  vowel  in  a  word  has  j,  x  or  z 
before  it,  the  word  is  accented  on  the  penultimate ; 
as,  eduxit,  baptizo. 

RULE  XX. 
The  penultimate  is  accented  when  it  is  a  diph- 
thong; as  in  Annaeus,   exaudi. 

RULE  XXL 
Increasing  genitives  ending  in 

idis,    iUs,    inis,    itis, 
eri,  eris,  ulis,   uris, 
and  adis  are  accented  on  the  antepenultimate. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  1 1 

EXAMPLES  : 

lapis,  lapidis, 
vigil,    vigilis, 
homo,  hominis, 
nomen,   nominis, 
fortitudo,   fortitudinis, 
sanguis,    sanguinis, 
hospes,  hospitis, 
caput,  capitis, 
puer,  pueri, 
career,   carceris, 
onus,  oneris, 
exsul,  exsulis, 
vultur,   vulturis, 
fulgur,  fulguris, 
lampas,   lampadis. 

EXCEPTION  : 

Telluris  from  tellus  is  accented  on  the  penulti- 
mate. 

Increasing  genitives  are  those  which  have  more 
syllables  than  the  nominative  singular;  as,  pueri, 
hominis. 

The  accent  of  the  genitive  of  proper  nouns 
and  of  Greek  words  must  be  learned  from  a 
dictionary ;  hence  Rule  XX  and  the  following 
rules  do  not  apply  to  them.  They  are  accented 
according  to  the  explanation  given  in  Rule  XLI. 

RULE  XXII. 

Genitives  in  atis  from  nouns  in  a  are  accented 
on     the     antepenultimate;     as,     drama,     dramatis. 


12        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

RULE  XXIII. 

Genitives  in  icis  from  nominatives  in  ex  are 
accented  on  the  antepenultimate ;  as,  apex,  apicis. 

RULE  XXIV. 

Grenitives  in  icis  from  nominatives  in  ix  are 
accented  on  the  penult;  as,  consolatrix,  consola- 
tricis,  cervix,  cervicis,  cornix,  comicis,  felix, 
felicis.  The  only  exceptions  ending  in  trix  are 
histrix,   histricis,   and   natrix,   natricis,   a   serpent. 

OTHER  exceptions: 

The  genitive  of  the  following  eleven  words  is 
accented  on  the  antepenult:  calix,  larix,  salix, 
varix,  fornix,  filix,  fulix,  coxendix,  choenix, 
helix,    Cilix. 

RULE    XXV. 

Increasing  genitives  ending  in  utis,  tatis,  onis, 
alis  and  oris  from  nominatives  in  or  are  accented 
on  the  penultimate. 

EXAMPLES: 

virtus,    virtutis, 
dignitas,   dignitatis, 
leo,    leonis, 
actio,  actionis, 
animal,    animalis, 
tribunal,   tribunalis, 
victor,    victoris, 
amor,    amoris, 
lepor,    leporis. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  13 


EXCEPTIONS  : 

Castor,  Castoris,  rhetor,  rhetoris,  arbor, 
arboris,  memor,  memoris,  immemor,  immemoris, 
ador,  adoris,  aequor,  aequoris,  marmor,  mar- 
moris  are  accented  on  the  antepenultimate  in 
the   genitive   case. 

RULE   XXVI. 

Genitives  in  oris  from  nominatives  in  us  and 
ur  are  accented  on  the  antepenultimate;  as, 
ebur,  eboris,  tempus,  temporis,  lepus,  leporis, 
but  comparatives  in  oris ;  as,  majus,  majoris 
are   accented  on  the  penult. 

RULE   XXVII. 

When  the  last  syllable  of  a  word  is  changed 
to  one  other  syllable,  the  accent  remains  the 
same;  as,  hominis,  homini,  hominem,  homine, 
homines,  hominum,  facio,  faciam,  faciunt  are  all 
accented   on   the   antepenultimate. 

RULE  XXVIII. 

Genitive  plural  cases  ending  in  arum,  orunr*' 
or  erum  are  accented  on  the  penultimate;  as,'^^ 
stellarum,    puerorum,    dierum. 

RULE   XXIX. 

Datives  and  ablatives  in  ebus  and  abus  are 
accented  on  the  penultimate ;  as,  speciebus 
and   filiabus. 


14        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

RULE   XXX. 
Datives   and   ablatives  in   ibus   and   ubus   are 
accented   on  the  antepenultimate ;   as,  omnibus, 
tribubus,    hominibus. 

Verbs: 
The    following    rules    apply    only    to    forms 
which    have    more    syllables    than    the    second 
person    singular    indicative    of    their    verb. 

RULE    XXXL 
Verbs  ending  in  ote  are  accented  on  the  o; 
as    estote. 

RULE   XXXIL 
Verbs   ending   in   umus   are   accented   on   the 
antepenult;   as,   volumus   and   possumus. 

RULE    XXXIIL 
A    verb    which    has    a    in    its    penultimate    is 
accented    on    the    a;    as,    amamus,    feceramus. 

EXCEPTION  : 

The  compounds  of  the  verb  Do  which  have 
a  in  the  penultimate  are  accented  on  the  ante- 
penultimate; as,  circumdamus;  but  forms  end- 
ing in  bamus,  batis,  bare,  batur  and  bamur 
are  accented  on  the  penultimate ;  as,  dabatis, 
circumdabatur.  Dederamus  and  dederatis  are 
accented  on  the  penult. 

RULE    XXXIV. 
A   verb   which   has   e    for   its    penultimate    is 
accented    on    the    e ;    as,    monebam,    monerer, 
venerunt. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  15 

EXCEPTIONS: 

Futures  in  beris  or  here  are  accented  on 
the   antepenultimate;   as,   amaberis. 

Verbs  of  the  third  conjugation,  if  they  end 
in  ere,  erem,  eres,  eret,  erent,  and  erer,  are  ac- 
cented on  the  antepenultimate ;   as,   regerer. 

Verbs  ending  in  eris  are  accented  on  the 
antepenultimate,  if  they  be  the  present  tense 
of   the   third   conjugation;   as,   regeris. 

Perfects,  pluperfects  and  future  perfects  end- 
ing in  eram,  eras,  erat,  erant,  ero,  eris,  erit, 
erint  and  erim  are  accented  on  the  antepenulti- 
mate ;    as,    rexerim. 

Verbs  ending  in  eo  are  accented  according  to 
Rule  II. 

RULE    XXXV. 

A  verb  which  has  i  in  the  penultimate 
is  accented  on  the  antepenultimate ;  as,  audi- 
vimus,  regimus,  amaremini,  audimini  and  audia- 
mini. 

EXCEPTIONS : 

The  present  and  imperfect  tenses  of  the 
fourth  conjugation  are  accented  on  the  penulti- 
mate; as,  nescimus,  nescitis,  audire,  audirem, 
auditur,  but  verbs  ending  in  mini  are  accented 
on  the  antepenultimate;  as,  audiamini. 

Perfects  ending  in  ivi  and  ivit  are  accented 
on  the  penultimate ;  as,  petivi,  petivit,  audivi, 
audivit. 

Present  subjunctives  ending  in  imus  and  itis 
are   accented   on   the  penultimate;   as,   adsimus, 


i6'       The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

adsitis,  possimus,  possitis,  prosimus,  prositis, 
velimus,  velitis,  nolimus,  nolitis,  malimus,  mali- 
tis. 

Nolite  and  nolito  are  accented  on  the  penult. 

RULE  XXXVI. 

Perfects  ending  in  i  are  accented  on  the 
penultimate;  as,  confeci,  effudi,  impegi,  adjuvi, 
admovi,  abolevi,  obsedi,  eifodi,  effugi,  perfudi, 
reliqui. 

exceptions: 
The    following   perfects   are   accented   on    the 
antepenultimate : 

Those  ending  in  dedi;   as,  circumdedi. 
in  didi;  as,  condidi,  credidi,  vendidi. 
in  steti;  as,  circumsteti. 
in  stiti;  as,  constiti. 
in  uli;  as,  contuli,  pepuli,  sustuli,  compuli. 

perculi. 
in   eri;   as,   peperi,   reperi,  comperi. 
in  bibi;  as,  combibi,  imbibi,  ebibi. 
in  fidi;   as,  diffidi,  effidi, 
in   tudi;   as,   contudi. 
in    scidi;   as,   rescidi. 
in  igi;  as,  tetigi,  pepigi. 
Abscidi    from    abscido    is    accented    on    the 
penultimate. 

Abscidi  from  abscindo  is  accented  on  the 
antepenultimate. 

Perfects  ending  in  cidi  from  cado  are  accented 
on  the  antepenultimate;  as,  cecidi,  occidi. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  17 

Perfects  ending  in  cidi  from  caedo  are 
accented  on  the  penult;  as,  cecidi,  occidi. 

Pupugi,  repupugi,  cecini,  didici  and  its  com- 
pounds are  accented  on  the  antepenult. 

Perfects  ending  in  ui  and  ii  are  accented 
according  to  Rule  II. 

RULE    XXVII. 
Perfects    ending    in    it    have    the    accent    of 
perfects  ending  in  i;  as,  confecit  has  the  accent 
of    confeci. 

RULE    XXXVIII. 
Contigit    and    obtigit    are    accented    on    the 
first   syllable. 

RULE    XXXIX. 
Supines,    perfect    participles    and    future    par- 
ticiples   are    accented    on    the    penultimate ;    as, 
amatum,  amatus,  amaturus,  acuturus. 

EXCEPTIONS : 

Compounds  of  datum,  ratum,  satum,  rutum, 
itum,  litum,  quitum,  situm  are  accented  on 
the  antepenultimate;  as,  circumdatus  from  cir- 
cumdo ; 

consitus  and  consatus  from  consero; 
abitus,   obitus,   introitum,   reditum,   prodi- 

tus,  subitus  from   eo; 
oblitus  from  oblino; 
oblitus    from    obliviscor    is    accented    on 

the   penult; 
nequitum     from     nequeo; 
desitus  from  desino; 


1 8         The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

obrutus,  dirutus  and  erutus  from  ruo; 
concitus  and  excitus  from  cio  or  cieo 
may  be  accented  either  on  the  penultimate  or  the 
antepenultimate.  It  is  better  to  accent  accitus 
on  the  penultimate,  and  percitus  on  the  ante- 
penultimate. 

Incitus  is  accented  on  the  antepenultimate. 

The  supines  and  perfect  participles  in  itum 
of  verbs  which  have  not  ivi  in  the  perfect 
are  accented  on  the  antepenult;  as,  sonitum, 
sonitus,  monitum. 

Final  Syllables 

RULE  XL. 

When  a  syllable  or  an  enclitic  such  as  que  is 
added  to  a  Latin  word,  the  accent  is  placed  on 
the  syllable  before  the  enclitic;  as  amatque, 
filioque,  genitoque,  hortique,  regnaque,  verbaque. 

EXCEPTIONS : 

Some  speakers  make  the  following  exceptions : 

When  an  enclitic  is  added  to  nominatives 
and  accusatives  ending  in  a,  the  word  may 
retain  its  own  accent;  as,  verbaque  may  be 
accented   on   the   syllable   ver. 

The  word  may  retain  its  own  accent  also  when 
an    enclitic    is    added    to — 

vocatives  of  the  second  declension  ending 

in    e;    as,    Jacobeque; 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  19 

nouns  of  the  third  declension  ending  in  e; 
as,  altareque  and  tentationeque ; 

adverbs  ending  in  e  coming  from  adjectives 
of    the    third    declension;    as,    sublimeque; 

verbs  in  e;  as,  docereque  and  regeque,  but 
not  the  imperative  singular  of  the  second  con- 
jugation. Hence  doceque  is  accented  on  the 
syllable    ce. 

Bene,  male,  mage,  inferne,  interne,  and  superne 
may  retain  their  accent  when  an  enclitic  is 
added  to  them;  as,  beneque  may  be  accented 
on   the   syllable   be. 

RULE  XLL 

The  following  rule  applies  to  words  of  which 
we  have  not  spoken: 

When  the  penultimate  is  followed  by  one 
consonant  we  must  find  the  word  in  a  diction- 
ary and  if  in  that  book  the  penultimate  be 
marked  with  a  straight  line,  it  is  accented; 
as,    the    syllable    ce    in    concedo. 

If  the  penultimate  be  marked  with  a  curve, 
the  antepenultimate  is  accented;  as  in  spiritus 
the  antepenultimate  has  the  accent.  But  geni- 
tives and  vocatives  ending  in  i  of  the  second 
declension  may  be  given  the  accent  of  the 
nominative,  even  if  the  penultimate  vowel 
of  the  genitive  or  vocative  be  marked  with  a 
curve;  as,  Ambrosi,  Virgili,  ingeni  for  ingenii 
may  be  accented  on  the  syllable  before  the 
final  i. 


20        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 


The  penultimate  of  the  following  genitive 
cases  is  marked  with  a  dash  or  straight  line 
in    a    Latin    dictionary: 


heredis 

mercedis 

quietis 

requietis 

crateris 

halteris 

celetis 

lebetis 

magnetis 

custodis 

nepotis 

sacerdotis 

thoracis 


from  heres, 
merces, 
quies, 
requies, 
crater, 
halter, 
celes, 
lebes, 
magnes, 
custos, 
nepos, 
sacerdos, 
thorax. 


The  penultimate  of  the  following  genitive 
cases  is  marked  with  a  curve  in  a  Latin  dic- 
tionary : 


arietis 

parietis 

abietis 

segetis 

tegetis 

interpretis 

quadrupedis 

conjugis 

hepatis 

nectaris 

canonis 

tripodis 

impotis 

compotis 


aries, 

paries, 

abies, 

seges, 

teges, 

interpretes, 

quadrupes, 

conjux, 

hepar, 

nectar, 

canon, 

tripus, 

impos, 

compos. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  21 

The  Quantity  of  Some  Syllables  in  Latin  Verse 

RULE    XLIL 

In  a  word  of  more  than  two  syllables,  an 
accented  penultimate  syllable  is  considered  a 
long  syllable  in  Latin  verse ;  as,  the  syllable 
ra   in    orator   and   la   in   appellavi. 

RULE   XLIIL 

A  non-accented  penultimate  syllable  is  con- 
sidered a  short  syllable  in  Latin  verse;  as, 
the  syllable  ne  in  vulnero,  vi  in  solvimus  and 
do   in   edoces. 

RULE    XLIV. 

A  syllable  that  would  be  accented,  if  it 
were  in  the  penultimate  of  a  word  of  more 
than  two  syllables,  is  also  considered  a  long 
syllable  in  Latin  verse,  as  the  syllable  ra  in 
oratoris,   and   pel    and   la   in   appellavimus. 

RULE    XLV. 

A  syllable  that  would  not  be  accented,  if  it 
were  in  the  penultimate  is  considered  a  short 
syllable  in  Latin  verse;  as  the  syllable  ne  in 
vulneramus   and   do   in   edoceo. 


22        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

BOOK  2. 
THE  SOUNDS  OF  LATIN  LETTERS 

When    no    name    is   given    after   the   remarks 
after   any   number,    the    remarks    are    my   own. 

—The    Author. 


The  quality  of  a  vowel  is  the  sound  of  a 
vowel;  as  o  in  folly  and  wholly  has  a  different 
quality. 

The  quantity  of  a  Latin  vowel  or  syllable 
is  the  duration  of  time  which  the  Latins  occu- 
pied in  pronouncing  a  syllable  or  vowel.  They 
pronounced  some  syllables  rapidly  and  some 
slowly.  A  syllable  or  vowel  is  long  by  nature, 
when  the  Latins  prolonged  it  twice  the  time 
required  to  pronounce  a  short  syllable  or  a 
short  vowel.  A  short  vowel  is  one  which 
the  Latins  pronounced  rapidly.  A  short  syllable 
is  marked  with  a  curved  line  over  the  vowel 
and  a  long  syllable  with  a  straight  line  over  the 
vowel. 

2. 

Syllaba  brevis  est  natura  dum  raptim  vocalis 
enuntiatur,  ut,  pater.  Longa  dum  moratur 
vox,  ut,  mater. 

Alcuin. 

3. 
Syllabae    longae    duobus    modis    fiunt,    natura 
et  positione. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  23 

Natura  quidem  befarie  aut  productione  vide- 
licet singularium  vocalium  aut  duarum  con- 
junctione    quod    diphthongum    vocant. 

Saint  Bede,  the  Venerable. 

4. 

The  quantity  of  a  Latin  vowel  does  not  make 
known  to  us  what  sound  the  vowel  had. 

The  following  remarks  will  prove  this  asser- 
tion : 

LATIN   A. 

Different  Opinions  with  Regard  to  its  Sound. 

5. 
The  evidence  at  our  disposal  is  not  at  all 
strong  enough  to  allow  us  to  determine  with 
precision,  under  which  class  of  sounds  Latin 
a  should  be  placed,  nor  yet  how  far  its  quality 
was  altered  by  the  consonants  which  accom- 
panied it,  nor  even  whether  it  had  to  some 
extent,  a  different  quality  as  a  long  and  as  a 
short  vowel.  Lucilius  says  that  the  vowel  a 
had  the  same  sound  when  long  and  when  short. 

W.    M.    Lindsay, 

The    Latin    Language. 

6. 

Seelmann  gives  to  Latin  a  of  the  Imperial 
age,   the   sound   of   English   a   in   man. 

W.  M.  Lindsay. 


24        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 


Lindsay  tells  us  also  that  it  is  probable  that 
a  was  pronounced  like  a  in  man  in  some  posi- 
tions, and  like  a  in  father  in  other  positions. 

8 

Short  a  is  pronounced  like  a  in  man. 
W.   J.    Purton, 
Pronunciation  of  Ancient  Greek, 
Translated  from   Dr.    Blass's   Work. 

9. 

Long  a  was  like  a  in  psalm. 

Henry  John  Roby, 
A  Grammar  of  the  Latin  Language,  Book  L 

10. 

The  consensus  of  the  Romance  Languages 
indicates  clearly  that  long  a  was  pronounced 
substantially  as  in  the  English  word  father. 
In  the  absence  of  any  specific  evidence  to  the 
contrary,  we  may  safely  believe  that  short  a 
had   the   same   sound   qualitatively. 

Charles  E.  Bennett, 
The  Latin  Language. 

n. 

Latin  short  a  sound  is  nearly  extinct  in  mod- 
ern English,  though  it  is  very  nearly  heard  in 
the  second  syllable  of  grandfather.     The  sound 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  25 

of  a  in  man  is  not  of  the  same  quality  as  the 
short  a  in  question.  The  long  sound  of  Latin 
a  is  the  sound  of  a  in  the  word  father.  The 
sound  of  a  in  father  is  exactly  the  same  as  the 
second  a  in  grandfather,  except  as  regards  the 
time  taken   to  pronounce  it. 

F.  W.  Westaway, 
Latin  Quantity  and  Accent. 

12. 

There  is  no  difference  in  sound  between  long 
and  short  Latin  a.  In  other  words,  their 
quantity  and  quality  are  the  same.  Latin  short 
a  is  never  pronounced  like  a  in  hat. 

B.  L.  D^Ooge. 

13. 

Of  the  five  vowels,  the  grammarians  say  that 
a,  i  and  u,  do  not  change  their  quality  with 
their  quantity. 

De  istis  quinque  litteris  tres  sunt  quae  sive 
breves  sive  longae  ejusmodi  sunt  a,  i,  u;  simili- 
ter habent  sive  longae  sive  breves. 

Pompei.  Comm.  ad  Donat.  Keil  v.  V.  p.  101. 
Francis    E.    Lord, 
The   Roman   Pronunciation   of  Latin. 

14. 

E,  Ae  and  Oe. 
Different  Opinions   Regarding  Their  Sounds. 

Latin  long  e  is  pronounced   like   ai   in  air. 


26        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

Latin  short  e  is  pronounced  like  e  in  get. 

E.  V.  Arnold  and  R.  S.  Conway, 

The    Restored    Pronunciation    of    Latin 

and  Greek,  Cambridge,  1908. 

15. 

Latin  long  e  is  pronounced  like  Latin  long 
i,  that  is,  like  e  in  equal. 

Ipse  sonus  sic  debet  sonare  quomodo  sonat 
i  littera. 

Terentianus. 

16. 

Servius,  in  the  4th  Century,  A.  D.,  tells  us 
that  only  e  and  o  change  their  sound  with 
their  quantity,  and  that  Latin  long  e  was  pro- 
nounced like  Latin  i  and  that  short  e  was 
pronounced  like  the  diphthong  ae  which  at  his 
time  was  pronounced  like  e  in  end. 

Pompeius  ascribes  the  same  statement  to 
Terentianus  Maurus.  Sergius  asserts  the  same 
as  Servius. 

The  Modern  Greeks  give  long  e  and  long 
i  the  sound  of  e  in  equal.  They  pronounce 
epsilon  or  short  e,  like  a  in  made,  or  like  e 
in  there,  or  like  e  in  end.  It  is  probable  that 
e  and  i  in  the  perfect  veni  had  the  sound  of 
e  in  equal.  It  is  probable  also  that  e  in 
venio  had  the  sound  of  a  in  made  or  the 
sound  of  e  in  there,  or  the  sound  of  e  in  end. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  27 

17. 

Latin  long  e  is  pronounced  like  a  in  made, 
day    and   fay. 

Many    Latin    Grammars. 

18. 

Cratinus,  a  poet  of  the  Fifth  Century  B.  C, 
represented  the  vowel  sound  in  the  bleating  of 
sheep,  by  eta. 

Charles   E.    Bennett. 

19. 

The  vowel  sound  in  the  bleating  of  sheep 
seems  to  be  the   sound  of  e  in  there. 

20. 

Latin  long  e  must  have  had  a  sound  like 
English   e   in   there. 

Casserly's  Latin  Prosody. 

21. 

The  sound  of  e  in  there  is  the  sound  of  ai 
in  fair,  pair  and  a  in  dare.  It  is  not  the 
sound  of  ay  in  day  and  fay  and  payer.  It  is 
a  prolongation  of  the  sound  of  e  in  ferry, 
derrick,  perishable  and  end.  If  we  repeat  or 
prolong  a  little  the  sound  of  e  in  end,  as  we 
do  sometimes  in  singing,  we  shall  pronounce 
the  sound  of  e  in  there. 

The  vowel  sounds  are  different  in  fay,  fair, 
ferry ;  pay-er,  pair,  perishable ;  day,  dare,  der- 
rick. 


28        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

22. 

The  Latin  ae,  the  ordinary  representative  of 
the  Greek  ai,  became  hardly,  if  at  all,  dis- 
tinguishable from  e,  just  as  the  Greek  ai  was 
confounded   with   short  e   or   epsilon. 

Roby. 
23. 
In    imperial   times   oe   became    confused   with 
ae. 

Roby. 
24. 

In  the  various  dialects  of  Italy  ae  had  been 
early  reduced  to  a  single  sound  of  e. 

Lindsay. 
25. 
The  Romance  languages  indicate  that  in  Vul- 
gar Latin  ae  had  become  hardly  distinguishable 
from  an  open  e  sound. 

Lindsay. 
26. 
On    Greek    inscriptions    we    find    epsilon    for 
Latin  ae   from  the   middle  of  the   second   Cen- 
tury, A.   D. 

Lindsay. 
27. 
Ae    was    anciently    sounded    ai,   but   early   in 
the   time   of   the    Empire   it   acquired    the   long 
sound  of  Latin  e. 

Oe  became  like  ey  in  they.  Both  were  con- 
fused in  spelling  with  e;  as,  coena,  caena  or 
cena, 

Allen   and   Greenough. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  29 

28. 

Ae   is   pronounced    like    Latin    long   e.      It   is 
not  pronounced  like  ai  in  aisle. 

The  pronunciation  here  recommended  is  that 
favored  by  Roby,  Munro  and  Ellis. 

Francis  E.  Lord, 
The  Roman   Pronunciation  of   Latin. 

29. 

In   the   Latin   there   are   numerous   instances, 

before    and    during    the    classic    period    of    the 

use  of  e  for  ae  and  oe,   and  it  is  to  be  noted 

that  in  the  latest  spelling  e  generally  prevails. 

Francis  E.  Lord. 
30. 
Oe    occurs   very   rarely   in    Latin.      It    should 
not    be    used    in    the    words    caelum,    maestus, 
femina,    caelebs,    caecus,    caena   or   cena. 

31. 
The    wall    inscriptions    of    Pompeii    show    the 
greatest  confusion  both  between  ae  and  e,  and 
between  Greek  ai  and  epsilon. 

W.    J.    Purton. 
32. 
By  the  fourth  century,  A.  D.,  ae  had  altered 
its  character  and  had  become   a  monophthong. 
The    change    had    begun    in    the    first    century, 
A.    D.,   or  even   earlier. 

Charles  E.  Bennett, 
The  Latin  Language. 


30        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

33. 

At  the  period  in  which  Latin  ae  became  the 
simple  sound,  the  Greek  ai  also  had  suffered 
the   same   fate. 

W.   J.    Purton. 

34. 

The  simple  sound  means  the  sound  of  a  in 
made,  or  the  sound  of  e  in  there,  or  the  sound 
of   e   in    end. 

The  Modern  Greeks  give  the  Greek  diph- 
thong ai  the  sound  of  a  in  made,  or  the  sound 
of  e  in  there,  or  the  sound  of  e  in  end. 

LATIN  O. 
Different   Opinions    Concerning   Its    Sound. 

35. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  about 
Latin  short  o.  Some  authorities  consider  it  to 
be  merely  the  shortened  form  of  the  long  o  as 
in  obey,  but  the  weight  of  opinion  is  in  favor 
of  the  o  sound  in  not.  There  is  no  difference 
of  quality  in  the  o  sound  in  note  and  obey. 

Westaway. 

36. 

By  the  sound  of  o  in  obey  we  mean  the 
sound  of  o  in  co-agent  and  co-evaL 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  31 

37. 

Short  o  should  never  be  pronounced  like 
English  o  in  hot,  rock,  not.  Latin  short  o 
was  a  genuine  o  sound.  English  o  in  obey 
will   exemplify   it. 

Charles    E.    Bennett, 

38. 
Latin  o  has  never  the  sound  of  o  in  hot. 
Latin  short  o  has  the  sound  of  o  in  wholly. 
Latin  long  o  has  the  sound  of  o  in  holy. 
D'Ooge  and  Collar  and  Daniel. 

39. 
Latin   short  o   was  as   o   in   wholly,   but   not 
as   in  holly. 

Latin  long  o  as  o  in  more. 

Francis  E.   Lord. 
40. 
Latin   short  o  is  pronounced  like  o  in  dot. 
E.  V.  Arnold  and  R.  S.  Conway. 

4L 
Latin  short  o  was  nearly  as  o  in  dot. 
Long  o  was   a   sound   nearer   to   English   aw 
than  is  the  ordinary  o  in  dote. 

Roby. 
42. 
Latin  short  o  was  pronounced  like  o  in  dot. 
Latin  long  o  had  a  sound  coming  nearer  to 
English  aw  than  to  English  long  o. 

Augustus  S.  Wilkins  and  R.  S.   Conway. 
Latin    Language    in    Encyclopaedia    Britannica. 


32        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

43. 

English  aw  is  the  sound  of  aw  in  law,  saw, 
gnaw  and  au  in  nautical.  The  sound  of  au  in 
nautical  is  different  from  the  sound  of  o  in 
note   and   o   in   not. 

44. 
Short  o  was  as  o  in  not. 

Cambridge    Philological    Society,    1906. 
I    and   U. 

45. 
The    vowel    long    i    being    the    Latin    repre- 
sentative of  the  Greek  diphthong  ei  must  have 
been   pronounced   like   i    in   thine. 

Patrick   S.   Casserly, 
Latin    Prosody. 

46. 

Many  writers  on  Greek  pronunciation  teach, 
that  the  Greek  proper  diphthong  ei  was  pro- 
nounced like  long  iota,  which  is  the  sound  of 
e  in  equal  and  not  the  sound  of  i  in  thine. 
In  the  University  of  Cambridge,  in  1542,  it 
was  forbidden  to  distinguish  in  sound  ei  from 
iota.  Students  were  ordered  by  that  Univer- 
sity in  1542  to  give  ei  and  iota,  the  sound 
of   e   in   equal. 

W.  J.  Purton,  in  his  work,  The  Pronunciation 
of  Ancient  Greek,  tells  us  that  already  in  the 
Roman  period  before  our  era,  there  was  no 
distinction  in  pronunciation  between  iota  and 
ei.      He    proves    that    at    that    time,    long    iota 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  33 

and   ei  were  both   pronounced  like   e   in   equal. 

With  regard  to  the  pronunciation  of  eleison, 
see   number   58. 

In  eleison,  ei  is  not  a  diphthong. 

47. 

Long  i  is  like  i  in  machine.  Short  i  is  the 
same  sound  shortened. 

Roby. 
48. 

Nearly  all  Latin  Grammarians  teach  that 
long  i  was  pronounced  like  e  in  equal,  and  long 
u  like  00  in  moon.  Short  i  had  the  same 
sound  as  long  i,  or  it  was  given  the  sound 
of  i  in  it.  Short  u  had  the  sound  of  long  u, 
or  it  was  pronounced  like  u  in  full.  Y  was 
pronounced  nearly  like  i.  Gu  when  preceded 
by  n  was  pronounced  gw;  as,  lingua  is  lingwa. 
Qu  is  pronounced  kw.  Su  is  pronounced  sw 
in  suadeo,  suavis,  suetus,  suavitas  and  in  their 
compounds  and  derivatives. 

Position  and  Hidden  Quantity. 

49. 

Vocalis  ante  duas  consonantes  longa  est  posi- 
tione. 

Vocalis  longa  est,  si  consona  bina  sequatur. 

The  word  positione  is  understood  after  longa 
est  in  this  verse. 

Latin  Grammar  of  Emmanuel  Alvarez. 


34        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

50. 

Vocalis  ante  duas  consonantes  positione  longa 
est. 

The  Eton  Latin  Grammar. 

51. 

A  syllable  is  long  in  quantity  by  position, 
when  its  vowel  is  followed  by  two  consonants, 
or  by  j,  X  or  z.  Its  vowel  is  also  long  in 
quantity  by  position,  but  its  vowel  may  be 
short  in  quantity  by  nature.  The  syllable  in 
is  long  in  quantity  in  the  word  infelix,  and 
long  in  quantity  in  the  word  inclytus,  but  the 
vowel  i  is  short  in  quantity  by  nature  in  incly- 
tus, and  long  in  quantity  in  infelix.  The 
syllable  et  is  long  in  quantity  in  Latin  hexa- 
meter verse,  when  it  is  followed  by  a  word 
beginning  with  a  consonant,  but  the  vowel  in 
et  remains  short  in  quantity  by  nature  and  it 
does  not  change  its  sound. 

The  first  vowel  in  the  following  words  is 
long  by  position,  but  short  in  quantity  by 
nature,  although  the  syllable  containing  it  is 
long  in  quantity:  cessi,  missus,  ussi,  noster, 
vester,  fuisti,  estis  from  sum,  essem  from  sum 
and  tollo.  The  first  vowel  is  short  also  in  nux, 
dux,  nex,  lex  and  est  from  sum.  When  a 
syllable  is  long  by  position,  the  quantity  of  its 
vowel  is  not  always  determinable.  The  quantity 
of  the  vowel  in  such  circumstances  is  said  to 
be  hidden. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  35 

52. 
In  the  great  majority  of  Latin  words,  a  vowel 
followed  by   two   consonants   is   short. 

F.  W.  Westaway. 

53. 

Grammarians  give  us  the  following  two  rules : 

Vowels  are  long  by  nature  before  nf,  ns,  gm, 
net  and  nx. 

Vowels  before  nd,  nt,  gn,  ss,  st  and  other 
pairs  of  letters  are  short  in  quantity  by  nature, 
although  such  vowels  and  the  syllable  contain- 
ing them  are  long  by  position. 

There  are  so  many  exceptions  to  these  rules 
that   it    is    impossible    to   remember   them. 

Professor  Charles  E.  Bennett  gives  many 
exceptions  in  the  chapter  on  hidden  quantity  in 
his  laudable  work  entitled  the  "Latin  Lan- 
guage.'' The  same  Professor  Bennett,  who  for 
eight  years  conducted  summer  courses  for 
teachers  at  Cornell  University,  tells  us  that 
even  college  professors  of  eminence,  often 
frankly  admit  their  own  ignorance  of  Latin 
vowel  quantity,  and  proclaim  their  despair  of 
ever  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  it. 

It  is  preferable,  therefore,  to  give  a  vowel 
before  two  consonants,  always  its  short  sound, 
as  is  done  in  the  English  pronunciation  of  Latin. 

X  is  considered  two  consonants.  A  mute 
and  liquid  combination  like  tr  is  not  considered 
two  consonants.  The  combination  qu  which 
is  pronounced  kw  is  not  considered  two  con- 
sonants.    The  short  sounds  are 


36        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

a  as  in  at, 
e  as  in  tent, 
i  as  in   it, 
o  as  in  not, 
u   as  in  full. 

54. 
A  final  short  vowel  before  two  consonants  or 
j,  X  or  z  is  nearly  always  considered  a  short 
syllable  in  Latin  verse;  as  praemia  sperans.  Bi 
in  bijugus  and  ri  in  quadrijugus  are  considered 
short  syllables  in  Latin  verse. 

55. 
Er  followed  by  a  consonant  not  r  may  be 
given  the  sound  of  er  in  concerning.  Ar  fol- 
lowed by  a  consonant  not  r  may  be  always 
given  the  sound  of  ar  in  part.  Os  in  post  may 
be  given  the  sound  of  os  in  host.  Or  followed 
by  a  consonant  not  r,  has  the  sound  of  or  in 
cord,  corporal  or  port.  Quart  may  be  pro- 
nounced like  quart  in  quarter;  as,  quartus. 
Quanti  in  quantitas  and  words  derived  from 
it  may  be  given  the  sound  of  quanti  in  the 
English  word  quantity.  Quadr  is  pronounced 
like  quadr  in  quadrant,  quadrilateral  and  quad- 
ruped. 

Vowels  Before  One  Consonant. 

56. 
It  is  very  difficult  to  give  Latin  vowels  be- 
fore one  consonant  different  sounds  when  they 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  37 

are  short  in  quantity  and  different  sounds  when 
they  are  long  in  quantity.  It  is  hard  enough 
to  learn  the  general  rules  of  Latin  Prosody  in- 
cluding the  rules  for  final  syllables,  but  even 
when  we  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  these, 
there  remain  to  be  learned  a  number  of  rules 
for  the  quantity  of  vowels  at  the  beginning  of 
words  and  in  the  middle  of  words.  Few  stu- 
dents will  acquire  a  knowledge  of  these  rules. 
Hence,  it  is  preferable  to  give  a  vowel  its 
short  sound  when  it  is  not  at  the  end  of  a 
syllable,  and  to  give  a  vowel  its  long  sound 
when  it  is  at  the  end  of  a  syllable.  We  have 
already  given  the  short  sounds.  The  long 
sounds   are 

a   as   in   father, 

e  as  a  in  made, 

i  as  e  in  equal, 

o  as  in  open, 

u  as  00  in  moon. 

From  number  77  to  the  end  of  the  book,  we 
treat   of  the   division   of  words   into   syllables. 

If  we  prefer  to  do  so,  we  may  give  a  always 
the  sound  of  a  in  father ;  o  always  the  sound 
of  o  in  open,  or  the  sound  of  aw  in  law;  e 
always  the  sound  of  e  in  there.  We  learn  the 
same  fact  from  number  1  to  45. 

Final  os  in  plural  cases  may  be  given  the 
sound  of  OS  in  host.  Final  es  may  be  pro- 
nounced ez  like  es  in  presence.  In  the  English 
pronunciation  of  Latin,  final  es  has  the  sound 
of  es   in  these. 


38        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

Quali  may  be  given  the  sound  of  quali  in 
qualify;    as,    qualitas. 

DIPHTHONGS. 
57. 

It  is  well  to  pronounce  ae  and  oe  like  Latin 
e  in  the  same  situation.  Au  has  the  sound  of 
ou  in  cloud.  Ei  are  two  syllables;  as,  De-i. 
In  hei  and  Pompei  ei  is  pronounced  like  ei  in 
rein.  Ui  are  two  syllables;  as  cui  is  coo-e,  but 
qui  is  kwe.  It  is  well  to  pronounce  eu  as  two 
syllables  with  the  accent  on  the  e;  as,  ne-u-ter. 

With   regard   to  the   Greek  diphthong  ei,  see 
number    46.      It    is    commendable    to    give    the 
Greek  diphthong  ei  the  sound  of  e  in  equal. 
58. 

E-le-i-son,  have  mercy,  is  a  Greek  imperative 
called  an  aorist  imperative  and  written  eleeson 
in  Greek.  The  e  before  s  is  eta.  Hence,  e-le-i- 
son  is  a  word  of  four  syllables  and  it  does  not 
contain  the  Greek  diphthong  ei  as  printed  by 
mistake  in  Webster's  Dictionary.  In  the  Latin 
form  of  the  word  i  is  used  for  eta.  The  word 
is  accented  on  the  syllable  le  as,  Alvarez  Latin 
Grammar  states,  because  in  Greek  the  word 
has  the  acute  accent  on  the  syllable  le.  The 
first  and  second  e  in  the  word  are  pronounced 
like  e  in  the  Latin  language.  In  speaking,  the 
i  in  eleison  is  given  the  obscure  sound  of  i  in 
reticent.  In  singing,  i  is  given  the  sound  of  e 
in  equal.  When  the  musical  composition  makes 
eleison  a  word  of  three  syllables,  i  is  not  pro- 
nounced. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  39 

CONSONANTS. 
Ancient  and  Changed  Sounds  of  Consonants. 

59. 
C,  ch,  g,  k,  and  qu. 
In  ancient  Rome  c  was  always  pronounced 
like  k,  and  g  was  like  g  in  go.  Quintilian  says: 
''C  has  the  same  sound  before  all  vowels." 
"As  regards  k,  it  should  not  be  used."  The 
Romans  recognized  k  as  a  superfluous  duplicate 
of  c.  No  Roman  grammarian  mentions  more 
than  one  sound  of  c.  The  grammarians  affirm 
the  same  of  g.  Priscian  says  that  k,  q  and  c, 
have  the  same  sound.  It  seems  that  not  before 
the  sixth  century,  A.  D.,  except  provincially, 
c  before  i,  y,  e,  ae  and  oe  was  pronounced  like 
s,  and  also  like  ch  in  the  English  words  chase 
and  cheap.  In  some  dialects  before  the  Chris- 
tian era,  c  in  this  position  had  the  sound  of 
s,  or  ch  in  chase  or  cheap. 

60. 
Olim    apud    Latinos,    litera    c    non    solum    in 
locum   sed    in   sonum    literae   k   plane   pleneque 
substituebatur ;    nee    assertione    res    eget. 

Antiqui    nunciabant    scamnum,    scenam    tan- 
quam  si  scriberentur  cum  k,  skamnum,  skenam. 
Latin    Irish    Grammar, 
Francis  O'MoUoy,   Rome,    1677. 

61. 
Not    earlier    than    the    sixth    century,    A.    D., 
g  before  i,  y,  e,  ae  and  oe,  was  like  g  in  gem. 


40        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

We  think  it  well  for  English  speaking  nations 
to  pronounce  c  before  i,  y,  e,  ae  and  oe,  like  s; 
g  before  i,  y,  e,  ae  and  oe  like  g  in  gem. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  make  children  or  a 
large  number  of  adults  of  any  nation,  pronounce 
c  always  like  k,  when  they  are  singing  in 
Latin. 

The  Italian  sounds  of  sc  and  c  before  i  or 
e  are  displeasing  in  many  words  to  the  ears 
of   English   speaking  nations. 

Ch  was  pronounced  like  k,  or  like  kh  in 
deck-hand.  It  is  preferable  now  to  pronounce 
ch  like  k.     Qn  is  pronounced  kw. 

H,  L,  and  R. 

62. 

H,  1  and  r  are  pronounced  as  in  the  English 
language.  ' 


63. 

J  was  sometimes  pronounced  like  the  English 
consonant  y,  and  sometimes  it  formed  a  diph- 
thong with  the  vowel  preceding  it. 

In  the  last  century  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
j  began  to  be  pronounced  like  g  in  the  Italian 
word  giusto,  which  has  the  sound  of  g  in  gem. 
It  is  preferable  now  to  give  j  the  sound  of 
j  in  joy. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  41 

M,   N  and   NG. 

64. 

M  and  n  are  pronounced  as  in  the  English 
language. 

N  has  the  sound  of  ng  in  song,  when  it  is  fol- 
lowed by  hard  g;  as  in  pango,  distinguo.  N 
has  the  sound  of  n  in  anxious,  when  it  is  fol- 
lowed by  hard  c,  ch,  qu  or  x ;  as  in,  vinco, 
finxi,  anchora,  relinquo. 

The  pronunciation  of  ns,  nf,  gn  and  final  m 
is  disputed. 

65. 

Ngu  is  pronounced  ngw;  as  in  lingua. 

B,  F,  P,  PH,  BS,  BT. 

66. 

B,  f,  and  p  are  pronounced  as  in  English. 

Ph  was  pronounced  like  p,  or  like  ph  in 
uphill. 

Ph  became  the  equivalent  of  f,  between  50 
A.   D.   and  350  A.   D. 

Bs  was  like  ps  and  bt  like  pt. 

It  is  preferable  now  to  pronounce  ph  as  f, 
and  bs  and  bt  as  they  are  pronounced  in  Eng- 
lish words   derived   from   Latin. 

..         _  .  S.  ...         .  .  ^  .' 

67. 
None  of  the  Latin  grammarians  ever  suggest 
that    Latin    s    had    anything   but    one    and    the 


42        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

same  sound.  There  is  hardly  any  evidence 
that  s  in  classical  Latin  was  pronounced  like 
s  in  "to  use/'  Z  of  the  old  Latin  had  probably 
the  soft  sound  of  s. 

Lindsay. 
68. 
Corssen  maintains  that  s  between  two  vowels 
and  after  n,  had  a  sound   like   English   z. 

Roby. 
69. 

At  one  time  s  between  two  vowels  was  prob- 
ably sounded   the   same   as   English   z. 

Roby. 
70. 

It  is  preferable  to  pronounce  s  always  like 
s  in  seen ;  but  final  s  after  n  or  r,  may  be 
given  the  sound  of  z;  as  s  in  ens,  mons,  mors, 
pars. 

In  words  beginning  with  miser,  and  also  in 
urbs,  plebs,  trabs,  scobs,  Caesar,  causa,  musa, 
rosa  and  laus,  s  may  be  given  the  sound  of  z. 

Final  es  may  be  pronounced  ez  like  es  in 
presence. 

Z. 

71. 

Z  must  have  been  pronounced  like  the  Greek 
zeta. 

Greek  zeta  was  at  different  times  and  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Greece,  pronounced  z  like  z  in 
prize,  or  zd  like  sd  in  wisdom ;  or  dz  as  in 
adze,  which  is  the  sound  of  ds  in  pads. 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  43 

About  300  B.  C,  z  was  pronounced  in  some 
parts  of  Greece  like  z  in  prize. 

The  Modern  Greeks  give  z  the  sound  of  z 
in   prize. 

D,  T,  TH,  TI,  STI,  XTI. 

72. 

D  and  t  are  pronounced  as  in  English, 
Th  was  like  t  or  like  th  in  hothouse. 
T  before  i  and  a  vowel  was  never  pro- 
nounced like  s  before  the  sixth  century,  A.  D. 
It  is  preferable  now  to  pronounce  th  as  in  thin, 
and  t  before  i  and  a  vowel  like  s,  but  not  sh. 
Hence,  notio  is  pronounced  no-$e-o. 

EXCEPTION  : 

When  t  is  preceded  by  s  or  x,  it  is  never 
pronounced  s. 

Hence,  t  in  mixtio  and  hostia  is  pronounced 
t,  not  s. 

V. 

73. 

At  some  time  before  the  fifth  century  A.  D., 
V  seems  to  have  passed  from  Spanish  b  to 
our  v. 

Lindsay. 

74. 

The  sound  of  v  consonant  in  Ancient  Latin 
is    a   matter   of   dispute. 

Ellis. 


44        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

75. 

Roby  gives  reasons  to  prove  that  v  was  pro- 
nounced like  English  w.  Professor  Francis  E. 
Lord,  in  his  work  ''The  Roman  Pronunciation 
of  Latin'*  gives  arguments  to  prove  that  v  was 
not  pronounced  like  w. 

It  is  difficult  for  any  nation  except  the  Eng- 
lish to  give  Latin  v  the  sound  of  w.  The 
best  way  now  to  pronounce  Latin  v  is  to  pro- 
nounce it  as  V  in  vain. 

X. 

76. 
X  is  pronounced   ks,  never  gs. 
X  at  the  beginning  of  a  word  may  be  given 
the  sound  of  z  in  zeal. 

77, 

The  Division  of  Latin  Words  Into  Syllables. 

First  Roman  Method. 

Simple  Words. 

RULE  L 

When  there  are  two  or  more  consonants  be- 
tween vowels,  all  the  consonants  are  joined  to 
the  following  vowel ;  as,  re-ctor,  tra-ctor,  a-ctor, 
dele-ctus,  di-ctator,  defe-ctus,  vi-ctima,  O-ctober, 
fa-ctum,  pa-ctus,  i-ctus,  le-ctor,  pi-ctura,  do-ctor, 
sce-ptrum,  o-ptio,  a-ptus,  praece-ptum,  pro-pter, 
scri-ptor,  sti-gma,  fra-gmentum,  a-gmen,  a-gnus, 
di-gnitas,  i-gnoro,  beni-gnitas,  re-gnum,  si-gnum, 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  45 

cae-le-stis,  manife-stus,  ae-stimo,  maje-stas, 
e-stis,  ve-ster,  ve-sper,  pro-sperus,  pa-stor,  exi- 
stimo,  ju-stus,  ho-spes,  no-ster,  ru-sticus,  no-stra, 
ve-stra. 

X  also  is  joined  to  the  vowel  following  it; 
as,  re-xi.  Hence,  in  this  method  of  division, 
cm,  dm,  gm,  tm;  en,  dn,  gn,  pn ;  ct,  pt;  bs,  ps; 
bd,  gd,  phth,  th  and  eg  are  joined  to  the  fol- 
lowing vowel.  Hence,  also  s  and  all  consonants 
following  it  are  joined  to  the  following  vowel. 

It  is  probable  that  the  method  of  division 
given  in  Rule  I,  was  used  only  sometimes  in 
writing  or  printing,  but  not  in  speaking  or 
singing. 

EXCEPTION     1. 

In  writing,  printing,  speaking  and  singing, 
when  the  first  consonant  is  1,  m,  n  or  r,  it  is 
joined  to  the  preceding  vowel;  as,  al-tus,  om- 
nis,   con-tra,   ar-bor,   mon-stra. 

Mn  is  sometimes  joined  to  the  following 
vowel ;    as,   o-mnis. 

EXCEPTION    2. 

Sd,  sl  and  sr  are  always  separated,  that  is, 
the  first  consonant  is  joined  to  the  preceding 
vowel;  as,  Has-drubal,  Uris-lavia,  Is-ra-el. 

EXCEPTION    3. 

Doubled  consonants  like  tt  and  ss  are  always 
separated;    as,    mit-to,    mis-sus. 


46        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

RULE  11. 

A    single    consonant   between    two   vowels    is 
joined  to  the  following  vowel ;  as  ma-ter,  pa-ter. 
Z  is  joined  to  the  following  vowel. 

RULE  in. 

When    two    vowels    come    together    they    are 
divided,  if  they  be  not  a  diphthong;  as  au-re-us. 


Second  Roman  Method. 
RULE    L 

When  two  or  more  consonants  are  between 
vowels,  the  first  consonant  is  joined  to  the 
(preceding  vowel ;  as,  rec-tor,  trac-tor,  ac-tor, 
delec-tus,  dic-tator,  defec-tus,  vic-tima,  Oc-tober, 
fac-tiim,  pac-tus,  ic-tus,  lec-tor,  pic-tura,  doc- 
tor, scep-trum,  op-tio,  ap-tus,  prae-cep-tum, 
prop-ter,  scrip-tor,  stig-ma,  frag-mentum,  ag- 
men,  ag-nus,  dig-nitas,  ig-noro,  benig-nitas,  reg- 
num,  sig-num,  caeles-tis,  manifes-tus,  aes-timo, 
majes-tas,  es-tis,  ves-ter,  ves-per,  pros-perus, 
pas-tor,  exis-timo,  jus-tus,  hos-pes,  nos-ter,  rus- 
ticus,  nos-tra,  ves-tra,  al-tus,  om-nis,  con-tra, 
ar-bor,   mon-stra,   mit-to,  mis-sus,   Is-ra-el. 

X  also  is  joined  to  the  preceding  vowel ;  as, 
rex-i. 

By  two  consonants  we  do  not  mean  br,  cr, 
dr,  fr,  gr,  pr,  tr;  bl,  cl,  fl,  gl,  pi,  phi,  phr,  ch, 
ph,  th,   qu.     These  combinations  of  letters  are 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  47 

joined   to   the   vowel    following   them;   as,   con- 
sola-trix. 

EXCEPTIONS    TO    RULE    I. 

When  ct  follows  a  consonant,  that  consonant 
and  c  are  both  joined  to  the  first  vowel ;  as, 
sanc-tus   and   junc-tum. 

When  pt  follows  a  consonant,  that  consonant 
and  p  are  both  joined  to  the  preceding  vowel ; 
as,  scalp-tum,  serp-tum,  Redemp-tor. 

RULES  II  AND  III. 

They  are  the  same  as  in  the  first  method. 

The  second  method  of  division  is  observed  in 
Latin  inscriptions  and  by  ancient  writers  on 
Latin  Prosody.  It  is  followed  by  nearly  all 
modern  nations  in  dividing  into  syllables,  words 
derived  from   Latin. 

The  English  Method. 

The  English  method  is  the  second  Roman 
method  with  the  following  exceptions  which 
we  shall  call  rules : 

RULE  A. 

A  single  consonant  after  an  accented  non- 
penultimate  i  is  joined  to  the  i ;  as,  n  in  o-pin-i-o, 
c   in   Cic-e-ro,   and   s   in   vis-i-o. 

Hence,  when  accented  i  is  followed  by  a  con- 
sonant and  two  vowels,  the  consonant  is  joined 


48        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

to  accented  i;  as,  con-dit-i-o,  re-lig-i-o. 

In  English  words  derived  from  Latin,  a  con- 
sonant following  accented  i,  should  be  joined 
to  the  i,  when  i  has  the  short  sound ;  as,  re- 
ligion is  divided  into  re-lig-ion  and  pronounced 
re-lij-un ;  condition  is  divided  into  con-dit-ion, 
and    pronounced   con-dish-un. 

When  i  has  the  sound  of  y,  a  consonant  be- 
fore i  is  joined  to  the  preceding  vowel;  as, 
genius  is  divided  into  gen-ius,  and  pronounced 
gen-yus.  E  in  genius  has  the  sound  of  e  in 
convene. 

RULE   B. 

A  consonant  preceded  by  an  accented  non- 
penultimate  vowel  and  followed  by  the  vowel 
u,  is  joined  to  the  preceding  vowel ;  as,  s  in 
cas-u-i  and  m  in  fam-u-lus,  and  m  in  dom-u-i. 

The  rule  applies  also  when  a  is  in  the  place 
of  u,  and  when  o  is  in  the  place  of  u ;  as, 
Theb-a-is,    Hip-poc-o-on. 

RULE   C. 

A  single  consonant  after  an  accented  non- 
penultimate  vowel  must  be  joined  to  the  vowel 
when  the  consonant  is  followed  by  a  vowel  and 
a  consonant;  as,  m  in  Dom-i-nus.  The  rule 
applies  also  when  ae  and  oe  are  the  preceding 
vowel  sound,  but  it  does  not  apply  when  u  is 
the  preceding  vowel.  It  is  well  to  make  an 
exception  when  the  preceding  vowel  is  in- 
crement o  or  a  in  the  dative  and  ablative 
plural;  as,  o-pin-i-o-ni-bus,  so-ci-e-ta-ti-bus,  vo- 


Sounds  of  Latin  Letters  49 

ci-bus.  It  is  preferable  also  to  separate  a 
verbal  increment  from  the  consonant  following 
it;  as,  au-di-vi-mus,  but  join  r  and  m  to  the 
preceding  accented  antepenultimate  vowel  in 
the    endings    er-i-mus,    er-i-tis,   and    im-i-ni. 

What  applies  to  a  single  consonant  in  rules 
A,  B  and  C,  applies  also  to  a  consonant  fol- 
lowed by  e  or  r;  as  t  in  vitrea  and  c  in  Socrates. 

In  the  English  method,  ubl  and  gl,  are  di- 
vided ub-1  and  g-1  as,  pub-li-cus,  and  j  and  z 
are   considered   single   consonants. 

By  accented  vowels  we  mean  primary  or 
secondary  accented  vowels. 

COMPOUNDS. 

First  Method  of  Division. 

Compounds  are  separated  into  their  compo- 
nent parts;  as,  sic-ut,  prod-est,  ob-it,  ad-este, 
red-it,  ob-latus,  ab-luo,  red-emptum,  ab-rumpo, 
pot-est,   pot-ens. 

Second  Method. 

Compounds  are  divided  as  simple  words  are 
divided  in  the  second  method  of  division  of 
simple  words,  but  prepositional  compounds  are 
separated  into  their  component  parts  when  the 
preposition  ends  in  a  consonant,  and  the  next 
letter  of  the  compound  is  1  or  r;  as  ob-latus, 
ab-rumpo. 

Such  compounds  are  compounds  of  ab,  ob, 
sub  and  ad. 


50        The  Accent  of  Latin  Words 

EXCEPTION : 

Unaccented  de,  prae,  re,  se,  di  and  pro  are 
separated  in  their  compounds  from  an  s  fol- 
lowing them ;  as  re-scribo,  re-specto,  prae-scribo. 

The    exception,    of    course,    does    not    apply 

to   ss. 

English  Method. 

A  compound  is  separated  into  its  parts  when 
the  first  part  ends  with  a  consonant.  If  the 
first  part  ends  with  a  vowel,  the  compound  is 
divided  like  a  simple  word  according  to  the 
English  method  of  division;  as,  def-e-ro,  cir- 
cum-ago,  sub-eo,  ob-it,  ad-este,  prod-est,  pot- 
ens. 

It  is  well  to  divide  pro  at  the  beginning  of  a 
word,  from  the  consonant  c;  as,  pro-ce-da-mus, 
not   proc-e-da-mus. 

exception: 

Unaccented  de,  prae,  re,  se,  di  and  pro  are 
separated  in  their  compounds  from  an  s  fol- 
lowing them;  as  re-scribo,  re-specto,  prae-scribo. 

The  exception,  of  course,  does  not  apply  to 
ss. 

In  the  English  language  the  prefixes  de,  prae, 
pre,  re,  se,  di  and  pro,  are  separated  from  s, 
not  only  when  they  are  unaccented,  but  also 
when  they  have  both  the  accent  and  the  long 
sound;  as  pre-script,   pre-scribe,   re-spect. 


14  DAY  USE 

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